• ECOGAN is a software application developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food designed to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farms.
• Its objective is to comply with European regulations on livestock emissions, but also to collect good practices in the sector.

In agriculture, what isn't measured doesn't count. Hence the existence of ECOGAN , a software application developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food (MAPA) for the livestock sector that counts and measures greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rates from livestock farms. But that's not all: the application also compiles "Best Available Techniques" (BATs), i.e., good practices, which range from improvements in manure management to innovations in animal feed and facility design, which are also essential for meeting GHG and other air pollutant emission reduction targets.

Thanks to these functionalities, ECOGAN achieves a triple purpose:

✅ ️The data collected by the winners helps meet environmental standards (limits on ammonia, methane, manure, etc.), making them easier to comply with.

✅ ️The compilation of "Best Available Techniques" (BATs) gives the livestock sector the opportunity to make strategic planning decisions on their farms.

✅️The app provides a partnership between the public administration and the livestock sector, providing transparency and traceability in line with sustainability and climate change adaptation goals.

Program

The informational event brought together experts, institutions, and industry stakeholders to explore the potential of this tool designed to support greener livestock farming.

At the institutional opening, Ana Rodríguez Castaño, Secretary General of Agricultural Resources and Food Security at MAPA, highlighted that ECOGAN is a four-year-old tool and a pioneer in Europe, designed to meet the climate and environmental commitments of the 2023-2027 CAP. Rodríguez emphasized the idea that it is the data collected that allows for improved environmental performance on farms. In fact, Rodríguez announced that, thanks to ECOGAN, Spain was complying with the Ammonia Ceiling Directive (after a serious reprimand from Europe prior to its implementation) and with a 10.6% reduction in ammonia levels.

An introduction to the ECOGAN computerized system was then provided, allowing attendees to learn about the application's operation and some of its results.

The session continued with a presentation on compliance with environmental commitments and their use by the Spanish Inventory System (SEI) and the State Registry of Emissions and Polluting Sources (PRTR) . The environmental perspectives for livestock farming were also presented through a review of ammonia and methane reduction techniques, followed by a presentation of the Uniform Conditions of Operating Standards for Livestock Breeding (UCOL) in Spain.

To conclude, a roundtable discussion was held on experiences using ECOGAN, with the participation of representatives from the livestock sector in private companies and institutional representatives from the autonomous communities of Aragon and Valencia.

Conclusions

The event confirmed Spain's technical contribution to climate solutions through a tool, ECOGAN, which enables standardized measurement of GHG emissions from livestock farming, positioning Spain as a leader in the integration of technological innovation and sustainability.